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Instagram Poets Are Literally The Worst
How poetry became commodity
Looking for poetry
on Instagram
is like casting a net
for fish in landfill.
You may or may not know this, but the popular Instagram poet known only as “Atticus” just recently signed a two book deal with Andrews McNeel Publishing. Yes, that’s the same publishing house that signed the ever famous Rupi Kaur. Together, these two Insta-poet powerhouses have a combined audience of over SIX MILLION followers on Instagram alone, with Rupi owning the lion’s share of them at 4.4 million. Rupi Kaur is so famous she was recently given her own “poetry special” with a ridiculously luxuriant stage and light show that can currently be streamed on Amazon.
Now it would seem that they are building a publishing empire with their platform as well, sucking all the air out of the room that houses the competitive world of poetry, whilst turning the entire artform into some kind of corporate enterprise. Some say this marketing tactic is becoming poetry’s salvation, while others decry it as nothing but an elaborate money-making sham. The truth may be a bit more muddied.
What makes Atticus so special is that he remains an “anonymous” poet. He gained his following on the gimmick that he always wore a mask…
